salokcinnodrog

supercarp28 says I think 15 pound korda IQ does the job well

The Size of the Lead I use on A bolt rig depends where/how far I'm fishing. On a Running Lead I nearly always use 3-3.5oz of Lead. I know my rods can cast that and that much lead stays on the Lakebed when a Carp takes. If i'm Bolt Rig/Semi fixed fishing up to about 30yards then I'll use 2oz, more distance than that I'll go up to 2.5-3oz. I also check Lead shape, depending on whether the Carp are in the swim when I cast. Different shaped leads make different noise underwater. Trilobes tend to flutter down to the bottom, whereas a Zipp/Distance Lead will bomb down and create a lot of noise underwater

I use Braided Hooklinks a lot for my Fishing and have hardly any Tangles. Strangely enough when I do get tangles, it seems to be as I reel in. (I do get in the water to check and have someone reel in for me at times ). I use Leadcore for most of my fishing, which braid can tangle around, so I always fish PVA in some shape or form, either stringers or Bags. You can avoid Braid Tangles with Tubing better, but I prefer Leadcore at the moment. If you put your hooklength in the PVA Bag, along with some pellets you have no trouble with Tangles at all. If you want a single bait as Mick says, Use Kryston Superstiff

Marcus, I agree with you about the feel of the End Tackle, but I think there is something else in that as well, The Behaviour of the the Bait and Hook. I think it was Rod Hutchinson who first queried this in The Carp Strikes Back although I think it was in relation to fishing Sweetcorn at Redmire and how the Bait Behaved and how the Carp were coming onto the Baited Patch. If everyone is fishing 4-6inch rigs made with Fluorocarbon or Mono with the bait tight to the hook then the Bait is going to behave differently to that presented on an Inch Hair and a 18inch Braid Hooklength. The bait/hook on the 2nd rig is going to behave with more freedom and is more likely to find a spot to take hold than that on the "Usual" rig that the Majority are using. But to be sure that we are getting the best from our "Unusual Rig" we need the best Lead Fixing possible, so I would if possible fish a Paternoster, failing that a Running Lead and Slack Line.

Humpy, If you are fishing a water with no snags and very little weed you don't need to fish with a Korda or other Lead Clip where the Lead can come off. The Lead Clip does not make it a Bolt rig... As I say on the other Thread you need to understand why you are fishing a particular set-up and why it works.

The other book that Kevin Maddocks had out about the same time was "In Pursuit of Carp and Catfish", I know that it is not in there. Is it in one of the BCSG books?

Oh Well got to try. If anyone finds a copy of Carp Fever with my name (N. Gordon) in the front flysheet let me know I had my copy stolen with all my other Tackle about 3 years ago.

Line aligned, knotless knotted simple Braided Hair Rigs with Shrink Tube to increase the shank length and put a gentle bend in the tubing... I don't use Withy Pool rigs or much complicated, although for a Snowman presentation I do use a D-rig made with Amnesia (I think)...

The one that works on the water I'm fishing. Whatever is is. In-Lines are a form of Semi Fixed Bolt Rig, so stop nit-picking. lol;) Running Lead gives better sensitivity if fished properly and Bolt Rigs hook the fish in theory before you get to the rod. http://www.carp.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12118 This thread has plenty on it

Waiting For Waddle? Can I mug you for it? lol I have read about the Tank Tests but I can't remember where I read it. I did think it was in Carp Fever, but now you've got me if you can't find it. I can remember all the theory behind the tests about how they would hook the fish on a standard hook rig and then watch the fish come on suck from a greater distance. I have a feeling there is a bit in Hutchy's "The Carp Strikes Back" with some of his tests as well.

I must add to the Tubing Debate. I think that what scares fish as has been mentioned is the tightness of the Line or tubing. I use Leadcore on 2 of my rods and Solar Tubing on 1. Strangely enough I have had 4 Carp from my Reservoir on Leadcore, compared to 1 on Tubing. Not very substantial odds I know, but of all the Bream I have caught as well I think only 2 have come on the Tubing Rod, compared to 50 odd on Leadcore. I have checked the tubing in the Margins, and it is the same colour as the weed and with a dash of Lead wire on the end it sinks flat to the bottom and can't be distinguished from the bottom. Leadcore also sinks straight to the bottom, but in the slightly siltier water at depth takes on the silt, so actually sinks into it. After retrieving it and going out to compare the 2 in the water neither could be seen against the bottom, but the tubing could be felt against the hand, yet not the Leadcore. In terms of rigs that give best indications for us Carp Anglers who have to sleep sometime, I think the Running Lead and Slack Line approach is by far the best option if possible. In Weed I know what the majority of Anglers say, that they need a Semi Fixed Lead, either on a Lead Clip or tied on, but I have had no problem with Running Leads. I have had no snagged fish, no lost leads and no problems playing fish through weed and also received instant indication at the buzzer. As Jemsue says though if the Fish are confident in your Bait, and the rig you are using is effective then you should not need the most complicated rig just beccause it is fashionable. Look at the damage the Bent Hook rig did to "Our" Fish. The rig was designed for particular feeding on a particular water, then got taken out of context and severely damaged many fish when it was used willy nilly. We have many things we can play around with on a standard rig, hair length, rig length, are just 2. With changing just those 2 things we could probably hook the majority of the Carp in the Waters we have today.

Nice price, glad I wasn't here this week, or I would have been bidding against you. lol:D If you get In Pursuit of The Largest, be careful, as there are some "dodgy" copies about, that have half a chapter repeated and 1 missed out altogether..

I freely admit that a lot of the time I do experiment with rigs to find out what works in any given situation, as Steve (ripslider) does. I know that with Paternoster that indication is far improved over most other types of Lead Fixings. I also know you have to be awake and aware sat next to your rods to use it. I'm currently working on a way to make extending hooklengths work on a particular lake that is Heavily Match Fished, where the Carp are very cute. Where the Method is treated with disdain and where heavy baiting is the kiss of death. Just to throw a spanner into the works again. The rig I have caught most of my fish on this season is.... Plain Basic Hair rigged and Freelined Mixer. lol:D Nick

Mono hooklength, knotless knotted to hook with a hair. Takes about 2 minutes to tie and is easy to use with either particles or boilies.

lol The Bolt Rig was originally fished Minus the Hair Rig I think. It predated it by a couple of years(?) As for the Hair Rig I thought it was Brenda Maddocks who supplied the original hair, but Patos could be right. The idea of the Bolt Rig as its name suggests was to make the Fish Panic and give proper runs. Unfortunately at the time, fishing had got very difficult as the fish would just sit and twitch the indicators (sound Familiar), so a New rig was required that would go back to Screaming Runs. :D

Bolt Rig: To Bolt, as in to run away in panic. Yes, somebody has tried a Bolt on the line as a weight, but for a slightly different reason. Tied on with light line, in weedy or snaggy waters, to prevent the losing of 'expensive' leads. ;)

I have checked my Leadcore Leaders on my Reservoir and got them to lie flat along the bottom of the Lake. That's checking on a 40 yard cast to the edge of the bay opposite. You really need to allow very slack lines to get this, although a downward slope does help hide it anyway. As for tubing I recently took the trouble to check my Solar Tubing in the Margins, with a piece of Leadwire on the end you could not distinguish it from the bottom and the Weed as it was lying so flat.

Tell you what, I'll stick to my Snakebite and Super Mantis. :D

Pva is useful for many reasons. It reduces tangles when used as a Bag or as a Stringer, it prevents weed from catching the hook. When used as a bag or stringer it does reduce distance, but unless you are fishing at your extreme range then I think the advantages far out weigh the disadvantges. You get FreeBait around your Hookbait, as you can with a Method Ball of Groundbait, You reduce tangles and you make your hookbait more attractive to Carp. I use PVA in some form or another nearly every cast, even with Floater Fishing.

I believe Rod Hutchinson originally described Stack Rigs as Greedy Pig rigs. One reason for there use is as an Anti Eject rig! Stack rigs can be fished in a number of different ways. They also prevent to a certain extent the hook sinking into the silt/weed, leaving the bait on the surface of the bottom of the lake. In Winter I often put 3 or 4 8mm baits on a hair, with a cork ball as the second bait from the top, just to provide a bit of lift. The Carp are often more comfortable feeding on small items in the winter and will often pick up plenty of mini Boilies when they'd only pick up 1 18mm Bait. I fish this on a Size8 hook The other way is to have 3/4 normal size boiled baits on the Hair with a pop-up bait providing the lift from the bottom, works well for Bigger fish if they are comfortably feeding on loads of bait. Hook size on this is normally a size6 or 4. It can also be fished with Particles, in fact many people do so without realising that they are fishing stack rigs. 1 popped up grain of Maize and a sinking piece is in fact a simple stack rig 'of sorts'. Adam, I often used to attach 2 boilies together with PVA or Spaghetti to keep the baits really close and get the Carp used to finding 2 baits together and then fish 2 on the Hair. Also they then can't twig which ones are attached to the hook. I think that makes sense.

I use Shrink Tubing on the majority of my rigs. I found that with it I can get well presented Line Aligners. As for types of Tubing I have used Carp-R-Us and Fox Tubing quite happily with No problems. I don't worry about the colour of the tubing. I just buy what is available in the Tackle Shop when I need to get some more. If you are fishing on the bottom can you see a piece of brown tubing in a weedbed, it doesn't look out of place, a green piece of tubing on a gravel or sandbar just looks like a long small stone on the Lakebed. Clear tubing has no difference to making it more invisible on the bottom of the Lake as far as I can see.

I must admit I have not noticed any damage on Carp that I have landed from Leadcore, although 1 common did have a couple of marks on it, and 2 missing scales. The damage wasn't fresh, and it had a previous hook mark in the mouth. I can't give a definitive answer on fish damage with Leadcore. I wonder is it down to playing them hard and then the sudden change of direction, in which case line with no tubing on could cause as much damage.

I've been using ESP Leadcore, never had a problem with the Lead pushing through the outer braid. When it comes to tubing vs Leadcore, I have been fishing Leadcore on 2 rods and Tubing on 1. I have swapped rods around onto the same areas so that each rod has a fair chance. On 1 Leadcore rod I have 60cms of Leadcore, on the other I have 120cms of Leadcore. The tubing rod is Korda Khaki tubing of 60cms. The 2 Leadcore rods I have had more takes than on the tubing rods, that includes Bream takes as well. On 1 water I have caught 1 Carp and 1 Bream on the tubing. On the Leadcore rigs, my takes have been roughly equal, and I have had 4 Carp and 12 Bream. Not conclusive I know, but I think that tubing does not lie as comfortably and flat across an uneven lake bed like Leadcore. Also there is the possibility of Reflection.

Just for the Record when I fished last night and had 2 carp and 1 bream all of the fish were hooked on a Slack Line Running rig. The first Carp didn't run, I don't think that on a 9inch hooklength it actually knew it was hooked until I struck on 3 bleeps of the Delkims. Incidentally I have my Clutches set very tight, so I can try to pull the Carp off balance. This Carp was hooked on a 9inch hooklink, line aligned and the hair was only about 24mm long, with an 18mm boilie, allowing just 6mm of travel. The rig material was Super Mantis and the Running Lead was 3 oz The 2nd Carp was hooked on a fluorocarbon hooklink of 9inches with a hook line aligned and a D-rig. The swivel end had a loop on it and the bait was an18mm boilie and half a Squid and Octopus 14mm pop-up on the hair loop to sit it nicely on the weed Carpet.. Again taken on a slack line and 3 oz Running Lead. Now in theory both these rigs are complicated. Both were fished over a previous Baited Patch that I think was just the smell remaining in the bottom until I topped it up with a couple of PVA bags of boilies and Pellets.

I use Kryston end Tackle for my Braids. Try one of their Super Braids, like the SuperMantis, SnakeBite or SnakeSkin. You can remove the outer coating to give you a supple inner that is very soft and supple. If you leave a length of the outer coating further up , you also have a fairly tangle free rig. Tie an loop Overhand knot in the end of the Braid and then attach your hook via the Knotless Knot. Attach to the swivel with either a Uni, Grinner or Palomar Knot. If you are not sure of your knots practice until you get it right.